


You're my everything from here to Mars

by ReyloRobyn2011



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abandonment, Angst, Astronauts, Colonization of Mars, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Devoted Reylo, Eventual Smut, F/M, Grief/Mourning, HEA Guaranteed, Happy Ending, Heavy Angst, Love, Love Confessions, Meant To Be, Mutually Pining, NASA AU, Near Death Experience, PTSD, Smut, Star Gazing, Trauma, loosely based on the martian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:13:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29789703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReyloRobyn2011/pseuds/ReyloRobyn2011
Summary: The first time Ben Solo saw Rey Johnson she was touring the facility as a new intern. Ben was holding a ladder steady as his friend inspected the outside of the craft. She took everything in with stars in her eyes and Ben couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she looked.Suddenly, she was walking towards him being led by his fellow coworker, Gwendolyn Phasma. Ben let go of the ladder and brushed his sweaty hands against his flight suit.“Ben this is our newest intern, Rey Johnson,” Gwen introduced. “She has been assigned to shadow you.”“Oh! Nice to meet you,” Ben replied, holding his hand out for Rey to shake. “I’m Ben Solo.”He felt a jolt when their fingers brushed against each other. And she smiled at him like he was the center of her universe.“The pleasure is all mine,” Rey replied.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 23
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PSA : I don't know anything about NASA other than what I googled. 
> 
> I've been working on this story for over two years and has been a labor of love. It's been something I've wanted to tell but it has also been so difficult to write. I really hope you enjoy. Please leave a comment if you like it.

* * *

The first time Ben Solo saw Rey Johnson she was touring the facility as a new intern. Ben was holding a ladder steady as his friend inspected the outside of the craft. She took everything in with stars in her eyes and Ben couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she looked. 

Suddenly, she was walking towards him being led by his fellow coworker, Gwendolyn Phasma. Ben let go of the ladder and brushed his sweaty hands against his flight suit. 

“Ben this is our newest intern, Rey Johnson,” Gwen introduced. “She has been assigned to shadow you.” 

“Oh! Nice to meet you,” Ben replied, holding his hand out for Rey to shake. “I’m Ben Solo.”

He felt a jolt when their fingers brushed against each other. And she smiled at him like he was the center of her universe. 

“The pleasure is all mine,” Rey replied. 

Ben felt his heart flutter at her British lilt. That was pleasantly surprising. They had a few Brit transplants in the NASA program, Gwen and Hux being some of them. But none were as striking as Rey Johnson. 

“Damnit Solo,” Hux growled from the top of the ladder as it lurched.

Ben had completely forgotten about his friend, Armitage Hux. He grabbed onto the ladder and held it as Hux climbed down, a sneer painted on his face.

“Come on Armitage, I think it’s time for you to eat a Snickers,” Gwen joked, pulling the ginger man along with her. “I’ll leave you to it,” she called out to Ben as the two of them made their way to the cafeteria. 

Ben looked down at the petite brunette. She looked so young. Or was he just getting old? 

“So when did you know you wanted to join NASA? Was it always a dream of yours?” Ben questioned. 

Rey blushed as she stood beside him, eyeing the large spacecraft they were standing beside. 

“I’ve always been interested in flight,” she answered. “However, it was one night in particular when I was gazing at the stars… I just knew that I wanted to see what was out there. The galaxy is so vast.” 

Her eyes were full of hope and longing. Ben saw a little of himself in Rey. He wondered if she was plagued by loneliness like him. He wondered if she had a legacy to live up to like that of his family. The legendary Skywalkers and Solos. 

Ben felt himself getting lost in her gaze. Shaking himself from those thoughts, he changed the subject, asking Rey what field of study she was pursuing. 

“Aviation technology,” Rey answered. 

Ben smirked as he nodded towards the aircraft beside them. 

“Do you want to take a look inside? We could use a good engineer on our missions. Hux studied engineering as a secondary concentration and he’s miserable in that role. He’d much rather be in command.” 

Rey reached out and grasped his hand as her eyes widened. 

“You get to go on missions?” 

“We do under the command of the senior cadets. But one day, that will be us up there,” Ben promised, squeezing her fingers. “It’ll be our turn to make history.” 

He whispered the last sentence, thinking of the legends in his family. There was so much weighing on his shoulders. Everyone expected him to be as brilliant as his grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. Or as diplomatic as his mother, Leia. That wasn’t even considering the fact that his Uncle Luke was his superior in the program. 

Rey’s soft voice broke him from his thoughts. 

“I’d love to take a tour.” 

He grinned before guiding her to the entrance. Neither one of them let go of the other’s hand. It felt natural… like muscle memory. 

***

With each completed semester, Ben and Rey only grew closer. Everyone in the program were friends and had created a strong bond of companionship. Ben loved to watch Rey flourish with her friendships. He was often the odd man out, who would rather spend time in the quiet of his room than join in on the ruckus celebrating the passing of exams. 

Rey had bonded with one of the engineer majors, Rose Tico. The two women would have sleepovers and giggle together with their inside jokes. Ben loved that Rey had found someone to share her thoughts with. 

But most of all, he was thankful that she confided in him. Rey had quickly become his best friend. All of Rey’s other classmates saw the bright, confident Rey. But to him, she opened up her soul. There were many nights when she sneaked into his bed and curled up in his arms, crying into his chest as she recounted how her parents abandoned her when she was only five years old. Ben would hug her close and tell her she wasn’t alone and that he’d never leave her. It was a promise that he swore to keep. 

She told him about her inspiration— a woman named Dosmit Raeh. She was the first female astronaut to step foot on Mars. Ben remembered the headlines back when he was a teenager. He imagined a young Rey looking up at the stars and wondering if she too could become a legend. Ben knew she would. Rey was an inspiration. She was beautiful, intelligent, and the kindest person he’d ever met— even with the hardships she faced as a child. Rey didn’t let her past haunt her. She persevered. 

One thing Ben knew for certain— he’d fallen in love with Rey Johnson. And for another, he couldn’t ever tell her. Losing her in any capacity would be a nightmare on earth. If all Rey wanted from him was companionship then that’s what he’d give her. 

***

As the years passed, Ben and Rey grew closer and closer. She would confide in him about her struggles in the Academy. Ben would always assure Rey that she was worthy of her position in NASA. He’d never met someone as intelligent and talented before. 

He’d advanced into a leadership role with his flight team. Ben was contracted on missions that kept him away from the Academy for months at a time. The longing he felt for Rey on those missions was intense to say the least. Whenever he came back, Rey was waiting for him with stories of her studies and what happened during the time they spent apart. 

Now, Rey was no longer an intern. She’d been hired on officially and placed under Ben’s leadership on the upcoming mission. It was Rey’s first time journeying to the stars and Ben was immensely glad that he would be there to experience it with her. 

Ben finished packing and stored everything into the shuttle when he heard the voices of his fellow crew members as they approached. 

“Hey Ben,” Poe Dameron called out. 

Poe and Hux began filling the shuttle with the vacuum packed meals. They were both vying for the position of commander on their mission but Luke had given it to Ben. In all honesty, Ben was surprised. He always thought he was a disappointment to his uncle. 

“Are you ever going to tell her?” Hux questioned, as he leaned against the shuttle. Poe brushed his hands on the front of his flight suit and smirked at Ben. 

“Yeah, Ben. You ever going to work up the courage to ask Rey out?” 

Ben felt his cheeks flush. His friends loved to tease him about his unrequited love for Rey Johnson. 

“We’re just friends,” Ben grumbled. 

“Yes, we know that. But it could be something else. If you stopped being a pussy,” Hux sniped. 

Ben rolled his eyes and pushed past the two men, making his way towards the ramp of the craft. 

“I’m going to get into position for launch. I suggest you do the same instead of worrying about my love life.... Or lack thereof,” he added under his breath. 

That was always the constant in his and Rey’s relationship. Neither of them dated. They didn’t have time for it in their grueling regime. But Ben never could see himself involved with anybody that wasn’t Rey. He was destined to be alone and he’d made peace with it for a long while. 

***

The other members of their crew boarded the shuttle and strapped into their seats. Phasma, Rose, Hux, and Poe were seasoned astronauts while Rey and Finn (a transfer from another department) were the rookies of the team. 

The assignment was to collect soil samples on Mars for the colonization mission in the coming years. The flight to Mars would take seven months. Seven long months that he got to spend with Rey. 

The rest of the crew boarded the shuttle and buckled up. 

“Ready for liftoff?” Ben called out as he began the sequence for launch. 

Ben peered over his shoulder and met Rey’s eyes as the shuttle lifted off. She looked directly into his eyes and smiled that sunny smile that always made his heart skip a beat.

Later, once they left Earth’s atmosphere and were surrounded by stars, Ben basked in the look of awe on Rey’s face. It was a moment that would be burned into his memory. 

***

The seven months of travel was surprisingly easy going. With every mission there was a strict sleep schedule with wake up calls from ground operations. The alarms would be music broadcasted over their radio in the cabin. Back at the Academy, Luke made sure each ‘morning’ on their shuttle started with the blaring sound of Wham! singing “Wake me up before you go go.” Ben could just see the smug look on his uncle’s face. 

When they arrived on Mars, Ben was the first to suit up. He was about to depart the shuttle when Rey floated over and grabbed both sides of his helmet, pressing a kiss to his visor. 

“Be safe,” she said, before pushing her way back to the main part of the shuttle. 

Ben took a lungful of breath as he turned his attention back to the fiery red surface of the planet. He pushed the button to open the airlock doors and leapt down. He smiled as he noticed the smudge on his helmet where Rey had brushed her lips.

***

The mission itself went rather quickly. The team gathered the soil samples and set up markers for where the future missions would start the colonization projects. Rey and Rose carried compartments full of various tech to the station they set up on the planet’s surface.

Before too long they were packing up everything that they couldn’t leave on Mars and preparing the shuttle for the trip back to Earth. 

Once Ben and Rey found a moment to be alone, cuddled up on his cot, Ben asked how she felt with everything she’d experienced. 

“It’s more than I could ever have imagined,” Rey admitted. “I’m so glad to have you here with me.” 

Rey reached for his hand and brought it to her lips as she pressed a kiss to his knuckles. Ben listened as she rambled about space travel and the experience of setting foot on another planet. It was something most people could only dream about. 

Ben kissed her temple and closed his eyes, relaxing into the comfort of Rey’s embrace. Another seven months and they would be back at the Academy. Their mission would be over and another assignment announced. For now, Ben enjoyed Rey’s presence and silently pined for what it would be like to have something more than just friendship. 

***

“Have you talked to her yet?” Poe asked, a month after they returned from Mars. 

“What are you talking about Dameron?” Ben said, brushing a hand through his hair. 

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, man. What happens if she meets someone else. She’s not going to wait around forever.” 

Ben clenched his fist at the thought of Rey dating someone else. Could he blame her though? They weren’t together and they would never be together. If Rey felt that way about him then she would have said something by now. Rey was his friend and that’s all she would ever be to him. 

“She doesn’t like me that way,” Ben replied. 

“Dude, are you blind?” 

“I see perfectly fine,” Ben snarked. 

“She looks at you like you hung the moon. You need to tell her how you feel, Ben,” Poe said. 

“Maybe after the colonization mission,” Ben digressed. 

Poe let out a painful sigh. “Ben, that’s seventeen months. Seven months there, three months on planet, and seven months back. We leave in a little under a week. Do you really want to leave her for that amount of time without letting her know how you feel?” 

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt tears sting his eyes. He’d been so upset to learn Rey wasn’t assigned on the colonization mission. Ben didn’t want to spend that much time apart. He’d argued with Luke about it and ended up punching a wall when his uncle kept telling Ben his hands were tied. 

“I’ll think about it,” Ben said. 

“Do it,” Poe replied. “Please, Ben.” 

“Fine,” Ben admitted. “Fine, I’ll tell her.” 


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

The night before the mission, Ben drove Rey to a lookoff point where they could stargaze. She wore his NASA hoodie— something she’d confiscated from him a long time ago. Ben didn’t mind. He loved the way Rey looked wearing his clothing. 

“I got you something,” Ben said, as he spread the blanket out on the ground. 

“Ben, you didn’t have to do that,” Rey said. 

“Well, I feel bad because I won’t be here for your birthday. It’s a few months early but… well, here.” Ben handed Rey an envelope. 

They both sat down on the blanket as she ripped open the envelope and pulled out a piece of paper. 

“Ben, I can’t believe you did this,” Rey said with tears in her eyes.

“It will be delivered on your birthday,” Ben replied. 

Ben had purchased a print of the image the Hubble telescope took on her birthday and had it custom framed. The paper in the envelope was a receipt of the purchase with a preview of the image. 

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she folded up the receipt and placed it back in the envelope. Then Rey was throwing herself in Ben’s arms. He groaned lightheartedly as his back hit the ground. Rey pressed a flurry of kisses to his face. First his right cheek, then his left, then his nose, and ending with her lips against his forehead. 

They settled into each other’s arms, staring at the stars as the hours slipped away. 

“Tomorrow,” Rey said with exhaustion in her voice. “You’ll be up there and I’ll be all alone.” 

They were both crying. 

“Rey, you’re not alone. You’ll look up at the stars and know that I’m there and I’ll be coming back for you.” 

She furiously wiped the tears from her cheeks. 

“I’ll come back for you sweetheart, I promise you that.” 

“You better,” Rey replied. “I’m holding you to that, Solo.” 

***

The next morning as Ben got ready to board the Millennium shuttle, he looked around the hangar in search of Rey. He’d hoped that she would see him off— even if it was hard for her to watch him leave. Ben wouldn’t blame her if she couldn’t face it. They’d had a good night under the stars. He hadn’t  _ exactly  _ admitted his feelings to Rey, but he felt like they’d grown closer. It felt deeper than just attraction. They loved each other in their own way. 

He sighed as he turned to the shuttle, blinking back tears. That’s when he heard her voice. 

“Ben!” Rey shouted. 

He turned around to see Rey charging towards him. Then she launched herself into his arms. Ben caught her as her legs wrapped around his waist. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and pulled back to examine his face. Tears were in her eyes. Ben gently brushed them away with his thumb then kissed her temple. 

“I’ll be back soon,” Ben lied, knowing the seventeen-month long trip would drag on. 

Reluctantly, Ben placed Rey back down on her feet and made his way towards the shuttle. He gave her one final look before boarding the craft. 

***

They talked over communications whenever they had time. Ben told Rey about his days on the shuttle and how boring it was without her there with him. As days turned into months Ben started to regret more and more that he never told Rey about his feelings. He didn’t want to do it over communications. He wanted to hold her hands and kiss her pretty pink lips. He wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her. 

For now, he had to wait. The first seven months had passed and the shuttle was approaching Mars.  _ Ten more months,  _ Ben thought.  _ Ten more months and I’ll have her in my arms.  _

***

“How are the plants?” Ben questioned as he joined the Millennium crew on the station. The three months had passed without a hitch and they were ready to head back to Earth. 

Kaydel Connix, the botanist smirked as she showed him the little buds she’d grown with the dusty red soil of Mars. 

“This is only the beginning, Ben,” she replied, touching the little green plants. “Can you believe we grew life here?” 

Ben smiled but it didn’t quite meet his eyes. He wished Rey was here to see this. 

“Don’t mind him,” Poe said as he carried a container of soil into the station. “He’s pining.” 

Ben groaned and turned on his heel, making a hasty retreat. 

“Hey man, I’m just kidding,” Poe called out. 

“Whatever,” Ben growled. “Hurry up, I’m ready to go home.” 

“Yeah, we know you are, buddy,” Poe answered. 

Ben grabbed the laptop used for communications and boarded the shuttle. He took a seat and started up the comm channel. It crackled to life and Rey answered with an excited, “Hello!” His heart swelled at the familiar sound of Rey’s voice.

“Hey sweetheart.” 

“Are you heading back yet?” 

“Soon, very soon. I’ll be there before you know it,” Ben replied. 

“I wish it wouldn’t take seven whole months. Why can’t you travel by lightspeed?” Rey whined. 

“I know, I wish I could too. I can’t wait to see you, Rey. I bet you’ve grown even more beautiful.” 

“Oh stop,” Rey giggled. “That’s not true. I’m just the same old me.” 

“Well, I’ve got to help everyone prepare for launch. I’ll call you soon. I miss you.” 

“Miss you too, Ben.” 

***

Ben put his suit back on and stepped back on the planet’s surface, making his way towards the station where Poe and Kaydel were chatting. Poe was flirting relentlessly and Ben rolled his eyes. Kaydel seemed to enjoy the attention and flirted right back with Dameron. 

Ben was about to take his helmet off when Hux burst through the airlock doors with wide eyes. 

“The meters are picking up radioactivity beneath the surface. The numbers are off the charts. We need to leave now.” 

The crew started to evacuate. Poe and Kaydel suited up and raced towards the shuttle. Ben followed behind, more than eager to get on the craft and head back to Earth and back to Rey. 

Suddenly, Kaydel turned back around and started to head back to the station. 

“What are you doing?” Poe yelled. 

“The plants!” 

“Leave them,” Poe said, grabbing Kaydel’s arm and pulling her along. 

“I’ll grab them,” Ben offered, turning back towards the station. 

“It’s not worth it, Ben,” Hux said. 

“It won’t take but a minute. Hux, start up the ship. I want to get the hell out of here as soon as I come back.” 

The team acquiesced and headed towards the shuttle as Ben turned around. He was just a few yards from the station when the ground beneath his feet started to shake and crack.  _ Shit.  _ It was a marsquake. 

Ben turned on his heel, hurrying back to the ship. The plants would have to be sacrificed. He raced back but stopped when the ground opened up beneath him. Then he was falling into the craggy red surface of Mars. The last thing he remembered before hitting his head was the thought that he’d never get to tell Rey how much he loved her. 

***

“Ben,” Poe called out over their comm channel. But he was met with nothing but silence. 

“No,” Kaydel cried. “He fell into the chasm. This is my fault.” 

“We have to go,” Hux said. “I’m sorry Poe, but he’s gone. We have to go before we all die here.” 

Poe punched the wall closest to him, “ready for takeoff,” he said, pushing the pain and grief down. His main goal now was to get the rest of the crew back to Earth. He couldn’t lose anyone else. 

  
  


**EARTH**

The familiar sound of the communications channel resonated in the control room. Rey smiled brightly knowing it would be Ben calling again to let her know they’d safely left the planet. 

Rey connected the channel and waited to hear the soft rumbly voice of the man she’d fallen in love with. 

“Ben?” Rey questioned when the other end remained silent. 

Then she heard Poe’s tortured voice as he delivered the worst news imaginable. Ben had died— and they left his body on Mars. 

Rey clutched her heart and sank to her knees. Her breathing came out in quick bursts and she felt the blood drain from her body. Then her heart shattered as the fog cleared and the news of Ben’s death became a reality. 

She started to hyperventilate and her vision started to blur. Suddenly, Luke was by her side but Rey couldn’t see anything due to the blur of her tears.  _ Everyone always leaves,  _ her mind supplied.  _ He promised he’d come back.  _ Her vision became spotty and soon all she saw was black. 

***

Rey woke up on her cot at the Academy. She refused to eat anything, even as Rose comforted her and encouraged her that she needed to take care of herself in this difficult time. Rey couldn’t stomach even the thought of food. Her eyes were swollen and raw from the tears that continued to fall. 

A week passed and Rey still couldn’t eat. Rose knocked on the door and brought a bowl of soup and a large package. Rey’s heart sank. 

“This arrived for you,” Rose said. 

Rey gently opened the package and pulled out the framed image that the Hubble space telescope had taken on her birthday. Rey set it on her bed and collapsed into sobs. 

**MARS**

**One week earlier**

Ben woke up with a splitting headache. He rolled over and almost fell deeper into the crevice that had opened up on Mars’ surface. He clutched onto the rocky cliff and let out a breath. It was a miracle he survived. 

His body ached as he climbed up the chasm. Finally, using all the strength left in his body, he pulled himself over the edge and landed on his back and stared up at the stars as he caught his breath. 

Ben looked around and came to two conclusions. 

One, he was alive. But two, the shuttle was nowhere to be found. He was alone— trapped on a planet with no hope of escape. He was going to die here. 

***

As luck would have it, the station was still operable. Ben took off his helmet once he made it through the airlock doors. He quickly looked at the stash of food left behind. It wasn’t much but he could ration. 

He needed to somehow send a signal to his crew and let them know he was alive. They could come back for him. He could make it back to Rey. Ben was a fighter and he wasn’t going to let himself die before telling the woman he loved how he actually felt. 

He pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers as he remembered the laptop he’d taken back to the craft when he made the call to Rey. If only he’d brought it back out with him. Then it would have been left behind on the planet when the crew made a hasty retreat.

Ben would have to find another way. He had to return home to Rey. He couldn’t leave her all alone. 

***

After scouring the station map of Mars, Ben circled the different areas he could travel to by foot without incident. There was a craft on the North side abandoned long ago, another station compost to the East, and he also made note of areas to avoid like the Olympus Mons volcano. 

He first traveled to the abandoned space craft. It was only a few years old and after looking at the engine it was heavily fueled. The ship had been abandoned because of an engine malfunction. For once Ben wished he’d studied Aviation Technology like Rey. Perhaps he’d be able to repair the malfunction. 

A few days passed as he tinkered with the spacecraft all the while making the hike to and from the station. He pulled out a compartment inside the ship and found some personal belongings of the crew that had left behind. Ben flipped through the items and gasped when he saw the familiar name of Dosmit Raeh. He was rifling through the abandoned belongings of his Rey’s idol. Ben felt tears well up in his eyes. There was no way he’d be able to repair this ship. He didn’t have Rey’s beautiful mind telling him what to do. It was a lost cause. But maybe there was something else he could do. 

It had been almost a week on Mars when Ben decided to make the trek to the other space station. When he arrived he went through the camp to see if there was anything there that could be useful. That’s when he saw a communications computer. Ben grabbed the device and turned it on. 

It took a while for Ben to figure out how to connect the communications. He sent out a signal and it was quickly picked up at the Academy. 

“Do you read?” a gruff voice called out over the staticky connection. 

“Hello, I’m Ben Solo from the Millennium Mars Colonization mission. I’m marooned on the planet.” 

There was a pause before the voice came through again. 

“Ben? You’re alive?” 

This time Ben was able to identify the voice. Is was that of his uncle, Luke Skywalker. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my beta Nightsofreylo


End file.
